The evolving California Adventure

This isn't news exactly, but a columnist from the LA Times wrote up some thoughts about the "other" Disney park in California. He talks about its early misfires, where it is now, and where it might go. It's a pretty reasonable take from a fan, mostly constructive in its criticism.

I've only watched this from afar over the years, but it is fascinating. Also, weird that there's no signature show happening in that theater. That's weird. I get that those shows aren't cheap, but a bummer for guests.

We visited the parks 5 years ago and, after reading all of the history of California Adventure, I was tempted to skip it entirely and just do a couple of days at the mothership. I'm so glad we didn't do that. I found the parks to be original, engaging, and a lot of fun. The Cars area of the park was superb (which gives me optimism for the coming improvements at MK). The Boardwalk area was fantastic. The Grizzly Peak area was beautiful (and made me think of the missed opportunity with Millennium Island at CP).

The energy of those two parks being just being a stone's throw from each other was also wonderful. I remember we watched the fountain show at CA and then raced to the front gate of the park where we then sat and watched the DL fireworks just moments later.

To me, the birth and growth of CA is a story similar to the birth and growth of WDW's studios park. It wasn't a celebrated success in the beginning, but it has matured very nicely.

I keep wondering how Avatar fits into the theme of California Adventure. It just doesn't.

Disney Forward is very exciting though.

I really think like this park is unfairly maligned just because it’s right next to the best theme park in the world. Of the 5 non castle Disney parks I have visited (no Disney Sea for me yet) it is clearly the second best by a long shot (Epcot.) It’s got a full days worth of things to do (unlike Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, or Disney Studios Paris) and has some fantastically themed lands (pretty much every land but Hollywood which is an abomination and Avengers Campus which is just ok.) It also has a fantastic night show and a solid attraction roster. It’s not supposed to be better then Disneyland, it’s just meant to complement it and convince you to do a multi night stay.

LostKause:

I keep wondering how Avatar fits into the theme of California Adventure.

Nothing they've added recently fits the "California" theme.

Cars Land is one of the best things Disney has ever designed - I've never even seen a Cars movie and I love it. Avengers Campus is one of the worst.

It's my least favorite non-castle park despite the quality of a few of its attractions. The only thing that may elevate it above the others is that it's connected to Disneyland and Downtown Disney.

Disney Forward. They keep stealing my ideas. My 2024 Budget Theme was Weston Forward. The least they could do is offer me a couple of tickets when they plagiarize me.

As to Avengers Campus, I agree that it is a miss. I do have to give them a pass in some areas, however, because they did spend a LOT of money to try and reset that park, largely successfully. That they could not get it all done at once is understandable.

And, Avatar and DCA would be no more unusual than Star Wars Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland.

Was thinking about California a little more. Adding California Adventure, in any form, probably met the goals. When we went out to California, I doubt we would have stayed in Anaheim, within walking distance to the parks, had there not been the two parks and their version of Downtown Disney. We would have chosen another "base camp", probably near a beach, and then made Disneyland a one-day trip. As is turned out I was sorry we didn't spend an extra day or two in the parks to hit things we missed and/or wanted to do again.

Pretty sure that Ouimet had FUN Forward back in 2011. 🙂

Well darn. Now I owe him.

He might owe Lenin. From Wikipedia:

The Bolshevik faction grew in strength; by spring 1905, the whole RSDLP Central Committee was Bolshevik,[77] and in December they founded the newspaper Vperyod (Forward).[78]

We had 3 days at DLR a year ago and invested in the whole shootin match- park hopper, lightning lane, all that. I was a little nervous about it thinking Cal Adv wouldn’t be all that great, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. I had visited one other time, when the park was brand new, and I was glad to see that a lot of the “off the shelf” quality was gone.

And I have to disagree about the Avengers campus. Disclaimer- I’m not a fan boy and had that sort of disregard for it, particularly the ToT ruination. The joke was on me- the area was nice, street shows and character interactions were well done, and the star attraction was so thrilling I was ok with leaving the original to live forever in Florida. It’s was so popular, too, the ride times sold out early every day. We finally got it scheduled on our last day and I was so happy.

I believe in my trip report I gushed enough about Cars Land and the rides there. I still think about it as a darn near perfect experience and can’t imagine Florida’s “national park” version to be any better. We’ll see.

Agreed on Cars Land. It might be the gem of California. If you get out there, I highly recommend you position yourself in Cars Land for the light up ceremony (at dusk). I won't spoil it, but it is wonderful.